#CTG23 Chapter 23

Few more weeks... Few more weeks and this semester would be over. Hindi ko na magiging kaklase si Iñigo. Hindi ko na siya kailangang makita kada linggo. Makakapagfocus na ako sa bagay na dapat kong pagtuunan ng atensyon.

"Di ba may class ka sa Torts?" Rory asked while we were studying. Naka-pwesto kami sa labas ng bagong building kung saan may mga concrete bench. It felt nice here. Malakas iyong hangin.

"Yeah," I said. "Birthday ni Sir."

"Di ka papasok?"

"No."

"Baliw. Pasok ka na! Nag-a-attendance pa rin kaya 'yun... At saka kapag natuwa sa party niyo nagbibigay ng recit grades 'yun sa mga nanalo sa game," she said. Napailing na lang ako. Naalala ko dati nung sa class ni Sir, nagpaparty din iyong section namin... And then there was this game, iyong kakain ng saging. Of course magka-partner si Rory at Yago... Naka-upo si Yago sa upuan tapos naka-luhod si Rory sa harap. And God, it was so awkward to watch them eye fucking each other while doing that.

Minsan, ayoko na lang umattend ng party dahil halos puro bastos lahat ng laro.

"I'll pass," I said.

"Seryoso? Ikaw, aayaw sa free points?" Rory asked. I merely shrugged and just continued reading. Tahimik na ulit kaming nagbabasa nang biglang mapadaan si Atty. Soriano. My eyes widened dahil binati siya nila Yago. I was forced to smile and greet him, as well. Tumigil pa si Atty sandali para kausapin kami. Naggoodluck sa exams namin at sinabi na inaasahan kami ng school para sa susunod na BAR exam.

Nang umalis si Sir, Rory looked at me, her brow arched. "Ano? Aabsent ka pa?"

I sighed. Dapat talaga sa library lang ako nag-aaral.

Kinuha ko na iyong mga gamit ko. Dumiretso agad ako sa room. Nagkaka-gulo iyong mga classmate ko para sa pag-aayos ng mga gagamitin para sa party. I was really amazed at how far law students would go para lang maka-iwas sa recit... We'd spend thousands for a party just so we could have a free day.

"Hi, Ate," tawag sa akin nung isang babae. "Pwede favor? Pa-gupit naman 'to? Malapit na kasing magtime," she said as she handed me papers and a pair of scissors.

I merely nodded and began doing what she asked me to do. Naupo lang ako sa isang gilid habang nagkaka-gulo silang lahat. I wasn't close with anyone in this room dahil hindi ko naman sila ka-batch talaga.

My traitor eyes looked for Iñigo. Wala pa siya dito. Baka hindi papasok. Sana.

"Guys, nasa DO na si Sir! Ayos na tayo! 'Yung lights at saka 'yung lyrics sa kanta sinend na sa GC!" sigaw nung beadle.

Sinundan ko lang iyong mga ginagawa nila. Nang dumating si Sir, hindi na siya nagulat pa dahil sigurado ako na lahat ng klase niya ay nagpaparty para sa birthday niya. It's already a tradition in law school—birthday ng prof, teacher's month, and Valentine's day. Minsan pati Christmas party kapag desperadong maka-iwas sa recitation.

"Happy birthday, Sir!" the beadle greeted in behalf of the class matapos naming kumanta ng Happy Birthday."If behalf of 3S, we'd like to throw a party to celebrate your special day."

Atty. Soriano just nodded. "Fine... Pero attendance muna."

Buti na lang pumasok ako.

The party quickly began. They played different games. Nasa iisang gilid lang ako, sinusubukang magreview habang nag-iingay silang lahat.

"Sino pa'ng hindi nakaka-join sa game?"

Ano kaya kakainin ko mamaya? Walang pagkain sa condo... Maggrocery kaya ako? Magkano na lang ba budget ko ngayong linggo?

Napa-tigil ako sa pag-iisip nang may kumalabit sa akin. Agad akong napa-tingin sa kanya. "Ate, sali daw kayo sa game," the girl said. I immediately shook my head in disagreement. Ayokong sumali. Hindi naman ako close sa section na 'to. Siguro kung sa block ko talaga, baka sumali ako.

"Yung mga 'di pa raw nakaka-sali sabi ni ni Sir," dugtong niya. "90 daw sa recit 'yung mga mananalo."

Ilang beses pa akong umayaw pero hindi ko alam, nakita ko na lang iyong sarili ko sa gitna ng classroom, naka-tayo kasama iyong iba ko pang mga kaklase. Kasalanan 'to ni Rory. At ni Yago. Si Yago iyong tumawag kay Sir kanina kaya nakita niya ako. Puro problema talaga ang dala sa akin ng dalawang 'yun.

"And for our next game," the host said, "The banana game!"

Oh, hell no.

Mabilis akong tumalikod at simpleng umalis. Nagpapaliwanag ng mechanics iyong host. Hindi ako sasali dito. Wala akong pakielam sa bonus point. Hindi ako kakain ng saging sa harap nila. Ni hindi ko nga alam ang pangalan nila.

I was trying to find my way out when I bumped into someone. I was about to apologize when my eyes widened when I saw who it was.

"Last pair, Viste and Borromeo!"

The hell?!

Agad akong napa-tingin kay Iñigo na naka-kunot din ang noo. He probably had no idea kung ano'ng laro ang sasalihan namin. Parang kakadating niya lang dahil may dala pa siyang bag.

"Boys, upo na kayo," the host said. Iñigo looked at me briefly, there was a small scowl on his face. Ano'ng problema niya? Ni hindi ko nga siya kinakausap. Wala akong balak kausapin siya—not after what happened in the auditorium. If I could finish this sem without hearing from him, then that would be great.

"Game na, bilis!" the host continued.

I was gently dragged back in the middle of the room. Naka-upo na iyong mga lalaki sa mga upuan sa gitna. In the middle of their legs was the banana... The hell. I told myself that I'd never do this game—never. Not after seeing how it looked like nang ginawa iyon ni Yago at Rory.

I looked around, hoping that there's someone who'd want to replace me—but even before I could concoct a plan, I heard the host saying that the game's already beginning.

Para akong na-estatwa sa kinatatayuan ko. The girls knelt on the floor, using their teeth to peel the banana. I couldn't move. No. I wouldn't do that. Hell fucking no.

"Cha, bilis, for fun lang naman," sabi nung beadle habang naka-ngiti. "Baka ma-badtrip si Sir kapag hindi tayo nagcooperate lahat."

I looked at Iñigo who was merely looking at me. Dapat siguro hindi na lang ako umalis kanina para hindi siya ang naging partner ko. It would way less awkward kung ibang lalaki na lang.

Begrudgingly, I stood in front of Iñigo. I looked at our other classmates. Naka-bukas na iyong saging nila. Babagalan ko na lang. Wala naman akong balak manalo sa ganito.

"Akala ko competitive ka?" Iñigo asked, his brow slightly arched as if he was taunting me.

"I choose my battles," I replied.

"Di ka lang siguro magaling dito?"

"You say that as if it's an insult," I said, merely staring at the poor banana stuck between his legs. Ano ba kasi ang point ng laro na 'to?

"Subo mo na, Cha. Sayang points baka manalo pa tayo," he said, staring into my eyes as he said those words. This... fucking asshole.

No.

This wasn't worth it.

I absolutely had no desire of peeling his banana. Hinihintay ko na lang na may maka-ubos sa mga kasama namin para maka-alis na ko dito. Dapat hindi na lang ako pumasok. I'd rather have an incomplete attendance than to go over whatever the hell this was.

But it was as if the world was on Iñigo's side dahil nang may malapit nang matapos sa mga kaklase ko, maraming kumuha ng video. Someone bumped against my back na naging dahilan para mapa-subsob ako sa hita ni Iñigo. Agad na nanlaki ang mga mata ko.

"Cha, saging iyong isusubo," rinig kong bulong niya sa akin.

Agad akong nag-angat ng ulo. Kasabay nun ang pag-announce na may iba ng nanalo. Mabilis akong tumayo. Shit. Dapat talaga umabsent na lang ako!

I quickly returned to my seat, planning my escape already. No fucking way I'd stay for one more second dahil baka tumabi pa sa akin si Iñigo. Why the hell was he talking to me that way? Ganoon na ba siya magsalita dati pa? Hindi naman siya ganoon.

"Birthday message naman, Sir!" the beadle said. Great. Ang bastos naman kung ngayon ako lalabas kung kailan paalis na si Sir. Tahimik akong naka-upo, hinihintay na matapos iyong message niya. At nang matapos na iyon, aalis na sana ako talaga kaya lang nagrequest bigla ng class picture iyong mga kaklase ko.

The Lord is testing me.

Mabagal akong naglakad papunta sa gitna. Doon ako pumwesto sa second row. Naghahanap sila ng kukuha ng litrato namin. I was waiting for this to be over when I felt someone standing way too close. I could feel something—

Mabilis akong lumingon para makita kung sino iyong bastos na iyon—and what greeted me was Iñigo's smug face. What the fuck was he doing?!

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Whatever you're doing... just better," he replied, mimicking what I told him the last time I saw him. Huminga ako nang malalim. Ipinikit ko ang mga mata ko. Ilang linggo na lang... Ilang linggo na lang.

I took a step forward. I felt bothered knowing that he was—did he really just press his dick against my back?! With his classmates just around us?!

"Thank you, Sir!" my classmates greeted when we finally took the goddamned class picture. Mabilis na sana akong aalis nang sabihin ni Sir na kunin namin iyong quiz sa table. I angrily grabbed my bag and then walked back to the table to get my quiz. Nakita ko si Iñigo na naka-tayo doon. He was looking for his quiz in the stack of yellow paper scattered on the table.

God, I hated this competitive brain of mine.

Mabilis akong naglakad palapit. I, too, stood up behind him and grabbed the paper. Idinikit ko iyong dibdib ko sa likod niya. Nakita ko na lumingon siya nang ginawa ko iyon. I ignored him and just looked for my quiz while pressing my chest against his back.

Two could fucking play this game, asshole.

I'd gone without sex for 23 years of my existence... I could wait for a few more years. Hindi mo ako kayang talunin dito.

"Got it," I said when I finally found my paper.

"You really wanna do this, Viste?" he asked.

"Di ko alam kung ano'ng sinasabi mo," sagot ko sa kanya bago inilagay iyong papel sa bag ko at naglakad palabas. I walked a little bit faster than usual. I still had my review class and I could let Iñigo distract me. I really couldn't answer his name in the BAR exam. It's enough that he's already invading my dreams—I couldn't let him invade my reality, too.

Naglalakad ako pababa nang magulat ako dahil may humila sa braso ko. I quickly looked for who did that when my eyes saw Iñigo. I was about to utter protest nang hilahin niya ako papunta sa—

"Baliw ka ba?!" sigaw ko nang mapunta na naman ako sa lugar na 'to! Panic ran through my system. No... It took me 3 days to get the feel out of my system! Malapit na iyong finals. Hindi ako dapat ma-distract.

"Sshh," he said, motioning me to be quiet.

"I have a class. Wala akong panahon dito."

"This will only take a few minutes," he said before he quickly cupped my face and before I even knew it, he was kissing me again. My eyes were wide open; my mind was trying to process what was happening... again.

But Iñigo wasn't stopping. He was kissing me as if tomorrow wasn't going to come. He pressed against the wall again. I knew I should push him off of me but... the hell. I hated that my body was betraying me when it came to him. I needed my mind to function. May klase pa ako!

"May klase ako," sabi ko sa kanya nang bumaba iyong labi niya sa leeg ko. "And I thought you said I'd have to beg?"

His hand got inside my shirt. Yet again. But this time, his hands got a little higher, just below my chest. This... guy. He's really testing my patience.

"That was about fucking," he said, and then brushed his thumb against my nipple. No... This asshole. I'd kill him. "This is just making out."

"How... is this different?" I asked when he pulled my bra and grabbed—

What were we doing?

"Interpretatio cessat in claris," he whispered in my ear as he began to massage my breast. No... why did that feel so good? I should be shouting at him and probably punching him because he's already making me late. "Statcon rule, Cha. I was clear. No room for interpretation for what I said. I meant fucking... not this," he said before he bit my jaw.

I closed my eyes and breathed deeply.

'Crimrev class...' I reminded myself. 'Title, Charisse Faith. Title.'

I opened my eyes and pushed him away. Inayos ko iyong bra ko at ibinaba iyong damit ko.

"For some reason, alam ko na alam mo kung ano ang schedule ko," sabi ko sa kanya habang inaayos iyong buhok ko. "Whatever this is you're doing, make sure it won't interfere with my class. That's where I draw the line."

There was an amused look on his face. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Does this mean pwede kitang hatakin basta hindi makaka-apekto sa sched mo?" tanong niya. I rolled my eyes again.

Tumalikod na ako para pumunta sa class ko na nasa kabilang building pa. I was breathing deeply. Damn this guy. Hindi na naman ako makakapagconcentrate sa lecture mamaya dahil sa ginawa niya.

I stopped on my track and looked at him. Hindi pwede na ako lang iyong hindi mapa-kali. Hindi pwede na grades ko lang iyong maapektuhan.

I was thinking of way on how to get even when my eyes darted at the sight in front of me. The front of his pants looked so tight. My eyes widened at the realization. I guess there's no need to torture him even more.